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Is Australia an island?

The island-continent set adrift in endless blue

Is Australia an island?
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Kelton Smith
12/05/2025 11:15 ‧ 1 week ago | StarsInsider

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Geography

Australia is a land of fascinating contradictions. It is an isolated nation, yet deeply connected to global affairs; it's a vast continent, yet governed by a single country. Among these paradoxes, one question persists: is Australia an island or a continent?

This debate is more than just a matter of semantics; it is a conversation that involves geography, geology, history, culture, and even national identity. At first glance, Australia appears to be an island—it is completely surrounded by water, much like Greenland or Madagascar. By the simplest definition of an island, it qualifies. However, when we consider other factors, Australia emerges as something far greater than an island.

The nation’s size, geological formation, ecological diversity, cultural significance, and historical classifications may hold the key to this debate. Click through to find out how the Land Down Under is classified.

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